Multimodality endoscopic optical coherence tomography and fluorescence imaging technology for visualization of layered architecture and subsurface microvasculature

Endoscopic imaging technologies, such as endoscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT) and near infrared (NIR) fluorescence have been used to investigate vascular and morphological changes as hallmarks of early cancer in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Here, we developed a high speed multimodality endoscopic OCT and fluorescence imaging system. Using this system, the architectural morphology and vasculature of the rectum wall were obtained simultaneously from a Sprague Dawley (SD) rat in vivo. This multimodality imaging strategy in a single imaging system permits the use of a single imaging probe, thereby improving prognosis by early detection and reducing costs